Like a Song
by Xandra J
Summary: Serpents are beautiful, lithe, and enchanting. But some are poisonous, and most should not be played with. And a serpent in the dark is especially dangerous.
1. Preface

**AN: Alright, so I decided I wasn't going to give up on my story – I'm just going to redo it. Please let me know, **_**politely**_**, if there is something wrong with my character. And we begin! (Again…)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. NO-THING. *cowers* Now – please! – don't sue!**

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Preface

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Not a living soul stirred in the town that evening. As the winter sun set early, the chill wind scattered remnants of dead plants across the cobblestone pavement. Then, a crash, heard by no one except a tall girl with fair hair and dark clothes.

The girl glanced back at the empty flower pot she'd just broken.

"Damn…" she muttered. She looked around. The familiar place was something she hoped to never see again.

The girl was tall and slender, with her light brown hair pulled up under the hood of a black traveling cloak. Her blue eyes shone with longing as she looked out past the last houses of the village. This was as far as she'd ever been allowed to go. The wind swirled around her, stirring more plant remains from the ground. She would go – the girl decided – tonight. The impossibility of her impending trip had been holding her back, but no longer. She would not be chained down.

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**I'm back with a vengeance, people! I have no life, so I post!  
**


	2. Chapter 1

**Alright, so I'm trying to get this all done at once. Now, remember people, no flames. If you're going to give constructive criticism, please, don't just tell me what's **_**wrong**_** with my story, but give me ideas on ways to fix it. **

**Disclaimer: I own only five characters in this story, and four of them aren't here yet. **

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Chapter One

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As the the girl rode North, the night got colder. The darkness became nearly complete as clouds drifted over the moon. The girl shivered. She almost wished she'd never left home. _Almost_. Almost anything would be better than being stuck in that God forsaken town with her _new parents_. After ten of her nearly seventeen years of life, one would think that she might have stopped calling her 'adopted' parents her 'new parents', but, no. She obstinately refused to accept them as her family.

She wanted to turn back, despite her 'family', but she couldn't. She'd stolen a horse from her non-father's stables, and stolen her gown and cloak from her non-mother's closet while they slept. If she returned now, she knew she'd be hanged as a thief. And she also knew that her 'father', although he had the authority to stop them from doing it, would say not a word for her.

So, she had no choice but to continue North.

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As the night wore on, the girl became more and more exhausted. It was nearing four am, and she had not eaten anything since her light dinner at five. She was light-headed. The forest swirled around her, warping and twisting with her lack of sleep and hunger… Wait! Forest?

Her head whipped around. Trees, everywhere she looked. She was there! She grinned widely into the air, then whooped, causing the horse to rear its head back in fright. She spurred the horse onward. It leapt forward with renewed energy, as if it could feel the same energy in the air as she could.

But the girl had not been expecting the horse to respond with so much energy. She lost her seat, the horse slipped out from under her, and she fell to the ground, hard on her back, with a solid _THUMP_. Her head connected with a tree trunk on the side of the path, and she saw no more.

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_All dark. Nothing. The girl was being suffocated by the blackness – the nothingness. Then…a light. A figure appeared as the light drew closer. It was clearly a young man, but none like she'd ever seen. All the men of her village – even the boys her age – were…but she couldn't remember them. She remembered their names, but she couldn't see their faces. _

_As the light came closer she could see details – sort of. She could see strong arms. She could see tan skin. She could see dark hair. And she could see a silver crown. But she couldn't make out his features – the light must be behind him, she decided. _

_He was close enough to touch, now, but she still couldn't see his face. He reached out a hand for her. She didn't know this man, but anything would be better than the dark. She lifted her hand to take his…_

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Her eyes snapped open. She was exactly where she fell off the horse. She stared up at the trees overhead. She could see through the tree branches – bare of leaves – to the lightening sky. The girl clambered to her feet, but before she could move two steps, the blood rushed back to her head, and she stumbled, black spots popping before her eyes. She swayed and put a hand to her head.

When her vision cleared, she looked around. All around her, there was nothing but trees. She knew which way she'd been going, so she turned in that direction and began to walk. But before she could get far, she heard the sound of hoof beats.

They were coming from the North – her direction – and there was no way she could outrun whoever it was – not without her own horse. Nor could she hide alongside the path – since everything was dead, she'd be spotted within a minute, because of the lack of shrubs.

So the girl did the only thing she could. She waited. Soon, she could see the horsemen. Around a bend in the path, she could see a man on horseback. She had been taught that it was rude to stare, since she was a small child, but she could do nothing now _but _stare.

He was strong, with tanned skin and dark hair. She would have thought nothing of it if it hadn't been for the thin silver crown, sitting lopsidedly in his messy, dark hair. Her eyes widened. _This _was the young man from her dream!

She looked at him, dumbstruck as he approached her. He stopped several feet from her, before dismounting. When she finally took in the meaning of his crown – which took several more seconds than should have been normal – she gasped and bowed her head, dropping into a low curtsy.

"You Majesty…" she murmured. Instead of just bobbing a curtsy and coming back up, as if she were merely acknowledging something that her 'father' told her, she dipped down, and stayed there, head bowed.

The young man sighed. She was unsure why, but it seemed as if he were almost…displeased about his title.

"Madam," he said, extending a hand to her, "You may rise." She did so. "Now, I must ask," he said, taking in her full appearance, "What is a young woman like yourself doing out in the forest, this early in the morn, with no horse, escort, nor even a weapon?"

The girl looked around, avoiding his eyes. She didn't want to tell this man that she was running away, but she didn't want to be caught lying either… She decided that, as much as she feared what he might do, she should just tell the truth.

"I-I am running away, Your Majesty," she mumbled, looking at the young man's dusty boots. "My adoptive parents mistreated me and…I…I suppose I just snapped."

He looked down at her sympathetically. He smiled a little bit and asked her, "So why did you decide to come to Narnia?"

She sighed and said, "Well, I think part of it was spite towards my 'father'. He always forbade me go past the close edge of the fields to the North of our village. And…I do not know the other part. I was simply…drawn."

"So what is your name, My Lady?" He finally asked.

"Adelinde, you Highness," she said, head bowed again. "And if I may be so bold as to ask, what is your name, my King?"

He smiled lightly. "You may be so bold," he said jokingly, "I am King Edmund the Just."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, King Edmund," she said, bobbing another curtsy, but not so deep as the first one.

"The pleasure is mine, Madame Adelinde," he said, bowing to her.

"Please, King," she said, looking away from him again, "Do not call me 'Madame', nor 'Lady'. For I am no such thing. I will not pretend my social rank is higher than it is. Either call me Adelinde – or, if you wish, Ada. If you must be formal, 'Miss' at most, please."

He smiled at her kindly. "Adelinde, then." He gestured toward her. "But we should probably get you somewhere...did you have any family or friends you were planning to stay with in Narnia?"

Adelinde shook her head. "No sir," she said, "My only living family is that from which I am fleeing from, and they are back in Archenland."

"Well, my conscience will not allow me to leave a young lady alone in the forest with nowhere to go!" he extended a hand toward her, "Would you do me the honor of accompanying me back to Cair Paravel?"

"It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty," she said. He took her arm and lead her back toward the horse he had arrived on.

He helped her up, then pulled himself up onto the horse's saddle. He turned the horse around, to face North-East – the direction he had come from, toward the sea – and nudged the horse's sides. Adelinde couldn't believe her luck. She had come to Narnia with almost nothing, and nowhere to go. She had had almost no hope she could have survived. But now she was sitting on the back of the horse of King Edmund, on her way to stay at Cair Paravel.

It amazed her how quickly things could change.

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**Thanks to Metonomia for helping me come up with her name!**


	3. Chapter 2

**I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this story...**

**Disclaimer: I only own Adelinde and a few other characters that have yet to appear. **

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Chapter Two

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The ride back to the castle was surprisingly short. Adelinde had not realized how close she was to the coast. When they arrived, the guards in the courtyard all came forward. All of them asking King Edmund who this strange girl was.

The queens were kind, and High King Peter was as handsome and gracious as everyone said he was. The Queens Susan and Lucy promptly took hold of Adelinde and dragged her up to a spare bedroom and proceeded to dress her up and play with her hair for the next twenty minutes.

But much to Adelinde's delight, before they were half way done, a faun came into the room an announced that, "It's time for dinner, and, you, Miss Adelinde, are to dine with the royals."

So the girls did up the rest of the laces and clasps and various buttons on her dress, threw a clip in her hair, and lead her to the door, where the two Kings were waiting to escort them to dinner. Peter took the arms of his sisters, while Edmund held out his arm to Adelinde, and she took it, with a hand that shook a little, while her heart was beating faster than a humming bird's wings. She was very _aware _of the King's hand on her arm.

Dinner was completely uneventful, but she did talk to King Edmund a great deal. She discovered that, despite their difference in rank, which she still found overwhelming, they had a similar taste in literature. They both held a deep appreciation for the arts, and they spent most of the meal discussing the difference between faun-written legends, and centaur-written legends – the main difference seeming to be that the centaurs described the battles in greater detail, while the fauns described times of peace.

"Not only," said King Edmund, "Does this help to describe the differences in parts of Narnia history, it helps to show the differences between the two species."

"Oh?" asked Adelinde, raising and eyebrow, "And how does it do that?"

"Because," explained King Edmund, "The way the two species write can tell much about them – for instance, there is no better warrior than a centaur – myself and my brother are centaur trained – but the creatures tend to be terribly serious. While they are in no way cruel to anyone, they don't often take jokes well, and they are very proud creatures."

He looked at her, gesturing with his hands for emphasis. "And fauns, on the other hand, while valiant fighters when pressed, much prefer peaceful times. They love festivals and love recounting them – although," He admitted, sheepishly, "I don't know how they do it – the festivals are often very difficult to remember. Even Peter has done his fair share of stupid things at those parties..."

Adelinde laughed lightly. "And have you ever done anything 'stupid', King Edmund?"

He turned as red as the wine in the goblets and stumbled over his words. "W-well, th-there's really n-no way for anyone to r-really know what goes on..." he swallowed and tried to conceal his reddened cheeks. "I must admit I usually end up drinking too much...but you have to understand, Miss Adelinde, that's more than most people can remember."

She smiled. "Well, Sire," she said, with an eyebrow raised, "What was something you did that you do remember?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well..." he said slowly, "I don't ever remember anything specific, but I know that if you want a truly scandalous story, talk to my Royal brother, High King Peter."

Adelinde looked skeptical at that. "Truly, Your Highness?" she asked, looking at him sideways. "I would think the High King would be more dignified!"

King Edmund laughed. "Oh, he is, believe me, but the more dignified someone is sober, it seems they let go more when they're drunk." He grinned again.

Adelinde laughed with him, and smiled. King Edmund might not be as handsome as his older brother the High King, but he was certainly kindhearted. He was fair and, although he did not hold as much power, he used what he had very well.

_Yes, she thought, He'll do..._

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**Alright, so I know it was short,...but I had a good way to end it, so I did.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Alright, let's see how much of this I can get done at once! Here we go!**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the Pevensies, or any of the characters you may recognize as cannon characters of Mr. Lewis.**

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Chapter Three

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Adelinde got out of bed the next morning and looked around at the grand room she was in. Blood red drapes hung down from the curtain rod above the large window, and from the top of the enormous four-poster bed. There was a bookshelf and a large, comfortable looking couch and armchair in one corner of the room, and next to the vanity was a sliding door that led to the closet, which had been filled the previous day with dresses of all colours and styles by the queens, Queen Lucy, with those to large for her, Queen Susan with those too small..

The bed that she was laying on was on the Western side of the room, across from the window, and the door to the hall was at the foot of it, and as she looked at it, the door opened, and in came Queen Susan, followed close behind by Queen Lucy. They were back to do her up for the day.

Queen Susan dragged Adelinde out of bed and to the vanity, where she proceeded to fix her hair and make-up, which she had neglected to remove the night before, not being used to it. Actually, Susan removed most of it, and simply pulled Adelinde's long hair into a braid down her back.

From the closet, Queen Lucy's head popped out and she called, "Su! What about this one?" She held out a long green dress that had belonged to Queen Susan several years earlier. It was too small in the bust and it was at least four inches too short. It had silver trimming on the neckline and hem, and around the bodice of the dress, and it was very beautiful. Susan looked at it shrewdly for a moment, as if it were some big important decision, then finally nodded.

"Alright," she said, "I suppose it will do."

She pulled Adelinde to her feet and Queen Lucy handed the dress to her. She stepped behind the partition to change. She pulled off her night dress and dropped it to the ground. She undid the back of the dress, pulling it over her head, adjusting it here and there. Of course, she couldn't reach the back to do it back up, so she stepped out of the enclosed area.

"Your Highness," she said to Queen Susan, nodding her head, since she couldn't drop a curtsy, "I don't mean to be a bother, but I cannot reach the back of this dress, would you mind lacing it up for me?"

"Of course, Adelinde!" said Queen Susan. She turned her around and pulled the laces snug. Just as Queen Susan tied the bow at the top of the laces, the door opened, and King Edmund came in.

"Sisters," he said, nodding to the Queens. Then he looked to Adelinde and smiled kindly. "My Lady," he said, taking her hand and kissing it.

Queens Susan and Lucy giggled as Adelinde blushed. "So, my Royal brother, is there a particular reason you have come to see us?" asked Queen Susan, putting her hands on her hips.

"I was sent up by Peter, who heard you two come in here – he said to bring you three down for breakfast, if you were ready, and if you weren't, to tell you that you were all to come down as soon as you were."

"Well, we're not ready yet!" snapped Queen Susan, "Now get out Ed!" she moved toward him and started shoving him backward out the door.

"Alright, Alright, Su! I'm going!" cried King Edmund, and he turned and left.

The door snapped shut and they could hear the sounds of King Edmund walking away. As soon as they could no longer hear his footsteps, the Queens Susan and Lucy both squealed.

"Adelinde!" squeaked Susan, giggling so hard her face was turning red, "I do believe our dear brother fancies you!"

"Surely you jest, Your Majesty!" cried Adelinde, placing a hand over her heart.

"I do believe she's right!" giggled Queen Lucy, looking as if she wanted to hug Adelinde. "I've never seen Edmund behave as such with any of the other girls that visit the Cair!"

Adelinde looked away from Their Majesties' eyes. "Well, even if he does, what can come of it? I am not a noblewoman, and I do not pretend to be."

"You have yet to understand the customs here in Narnia, I see," said Queen Susan, "Rank has no meaning in marriage here. If he wished to court you, he could, provided you had no objections to it."

"And by the look of things," said Queen Lucy, still giggling, "He may do just that!"

The two Queens dissolved into giggles once more.

When they recovered, Queen Susan said hurriedly, "Edmund was right, of course, we mustn't keep the court waiting any longer. We should go down."

"Alright then, Susan. Come, Adelinde!" cried Queen Lucy, tugging on her arm. Adelinde smiled slightly at the younger Queen's enthusiasm.

"Of course, Your Majesty!" Adelinde said, hiding her smile. She followed the two Queens out of the room and down the hall, where King Edmund was exiting his room.

"Why, Ed, you hypocrite!" cried Queen Susan, slapping her brother on his arm. "You weren't even ready, and you were telling _us _to be!"

"Well..." King Edmund seemed to have no response to this accusation.

"Well, since you're up here, why don't you make yourself useful and escort Adelinde to breakfast?"

King Edmund reddened, but smiled and offered his arm to Adelinde. She grinned and accepted.

"So, my Lady, how was your morning?" He asked, looking down at her.

She was feeling bold at that moment so she said, glancing at the backs of the Queens in front of them, "It was quite good, Your Highness, although I feel it mightn't have been the best it could."

King Edmund caught on. "Oh?" he asked, "And why wasn't it you morning just perfectly magnificent?"

"Because I was being attacked by your royal sisters. Their Majesties practically had to tie me down, and then they tortured me with makeup!"

"Oh, you poor soul!" cried King Edmund, before he burst out laughing at the expressions of his sisters, who had turned around to glare at the two.

Adelinde laughed too, this time, unable to hide her smile.

"Why, I never knew!" Cried King Edmund, "The Lady smiles!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Adelinde cheekily, "I do so quite often, if Your Highness would only look!"

Queens Susan and Lucy giggled as King Edmund tried in vain to come up with an appropriate response.

"Give up, Ed!" laughed Queen Lucy, "She's beaten you!"

King Edmund bowed his head, still grinning. "Aye, that she has. I know when I am lost, and if ever I was, it would be now."

The Queens hurried ahead again, leaving Adelinde and King Edmund behind once again.

"So, pray tell my Lady, how are you fairing now your torture is done?" asked King Edmund, placing a hand on her hand, which was resting on his arm.

"In your presence, my King?" Adelinde said sweetly, "Simply wonderful."

He beamed at her, and she couldn't help but smile at the look of delight on his face. She hid it quickly, though, which caused King Edmund to frown.

"Please, Adelinde – Do not hide your smile from the world. With it, the palace may be a bit brighter."

"As you command, Your Highness," Adelinde said, bowing her head.

King Edmund looked taken aback. "Nay, Lady 'Twas not a command!" he smiled kindly. "It was merely a request."

"Then I shall do so with good will, Your Majesty," she said, and smiled – for once, not hiding it.

"And, if you will, please drop the 'Your Majesty' bit. Please just call me King Edmund. It is confusing to tell who you're addressing when there is more than one king and one queen."

Adelinde smiled again. "As you wish, Your- King Edmund," she laughed lightly at her small blunder.

"It's alright, Adelinde," King Edmund said, noticing her slip, "You'll get used to it."

"Thank you for your patience, King Edmund," said Adelinde, smiling genuinely for the first time in far too long. "At my old home any small slips or blunders were not tolerated."

King Edmund frowned. "That reminds me – we must discuss your presence here with my brother."

"What is there to discuss, my King?"

"Well," said he said slowly, "There is a quite surprising amount. You see, since you are still underage, and not only that, but you are not even a citizen of Narnia, your father still has command over you. If he orders that you be sent home, we can do little to nothing about it."

"But surely, King Edmund!" cried Adelinde, "You shan't make me go back to a house where I am neither loved nor treated right?"

"We may try, but we do not wish to anger King Lune, nor anyone else in Archenland." He looked down at her with pity in his eyes. "I am truly sorry, Adelinde, but if he wishes you to come home, we shall have little choice."

Adelinde looked angry. "Please, King Edmund, do not pity my situation. I am far from the only girl that has this kind of thing happening at home."

She could see an apology on the tip of his tongue, but before he could utter it, they entered the Great Hall and he had to put on his public face. Adelinde watched the mask slide over King Edmund's face and smiled inwardly. If he thought she was angry with him, she could use this to her advantage...

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**Well that damn near went on forever. What's that? Oh! Why, yes! Adelinde is a conniving bitch!**


	5. Chapter 4

**Getting there....but not quite. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, save Adelinde and a few other characters.**

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Chapter Four

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Adelinde shivered in the chill wind blowing across the courtyard of Cair Paravel. She sat still as a statue in the castle gardens, waiting – although what she was waiting for, she wasn't quite sure.

"My Lady?" asked a voice behind her. She turned with a start, but jumped up and curtsied when she saw it was High King Peter.

"Your Majesty..." she said, not meeting his eyes. "To what do I owe this honour?"

"Actually," admitted King Peter, rubbing the back of his neck, "I was looking for Edmund..."

Adelinde's expression turned sour. "I can say with complete honesty, Your Highness, that I do not know where your royal brother King Edmund is."

King Peter frowned at her expression and tone. "Does my Lady have some quarrel with my brother?" he asked, raising one blond eyebrow.

She sighed. "I should not, for he meant only the best for me, but I do not like to be pitied," Adelinde got a fierce glint in her eye as she looked at the High King.

King Peter looked down at her with understanding in his wide eyes. "I'm sure Edmund meant no harm, my Lady," he said, kindly, "He has been in bad places before and he does not like it when other people are."

"I am perfectly capable of handling my situation on my own, though I thank you for your concern, Your Majesty," Adelinde said shortly, trying her best not to be rude.

King Peter smiled. "I am well aware of that fact, my Lady, and I am sure Edmund is also aware of that, but that does not mean that we don't still want to help. You're just the type of person one wants to help!"

"Oh, really, my King?" she said, raising her eyebrows, "And what type of person is that? Young and female?"

"Well, yes, but also kind, beautiful-"

"Beautiful!" cried Adelinde, "Surely, you must be mistaken!"

"Why, my Lady, I do believe you just interrupted a king!" King Peter said, with mock hurt. Then he laughed a bit. "But, nay, I do not believe that I am mistaken. The whole court is talking about you, my Lady. Talking of the beautiful foreigner that has stolen the hearts of both of the Kings!"

Adelinde feigned a look of shock. "Oh?" she said, tilting her chin downward, "And have I?"

"You may have, and you mayn't have," said King Peter cagily.

"That is not an answer, your Majesty," said Adelinde innocently.

"Be that as it may..." King Peter began, but he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the cobblestones. Both turned and looked toward the source of the sound. It was King Edmund.

Adelinde turned her expression cold.

"Ed!" Cried King Peter happily, "I was just looking for you!"

"Please don't take this personally, Peter," said King Edmund, "But I was not looking for you. In fact," he added, "I was looking for Adelinde."

"What is it that I can assist you with, Your Majesty?" Adelinde said, returning to the formality.

"I...I just wished to speak with you, my Lady," King Edmund said nervously. "Peter...if you would leave us?"

"Alright then, brother!" said King Peter, giving King Edmund a good-hearted slap on the back. "But after you're done speaking with her, I need to speak to you in my study."

King Edmund nodded as King Peter walked away.

"So, what may I help you with?" said Adelinde again. She wanted very much to make up with Edmund, but it was also a bit of fun to keep him thinking she was angry. It gave her leverage against him.

"I...I wanted to apologize to you, my Lady, for anything I did earlier to offend you. It was not my intent to cause you any pain, emotional, or physical. I hope to never do so again." The apology sounded very rehearsed and overused to Adelinde, and she frowned at him.

"Your Highness," she said sharply, "As much as I would love to accept your apology, I am afraid that I cannot accept something so rehearsed. With all due respect, it honestly sounds like you scripted that on your way to find me. Am I right, my King?"

King Edmund laughed shakily. "Aye, my Lady. I was...Honestly, I suppose I was just terribly nervous."

"Nervous, King Edmund?" asked Adelinde. She was prepared for a lot of things, but not this. "Why would you ever have reason to be nervous?"

King Edmund sighed. "It's just...Oh, bother! I apologize, my Lady...I have never been skilled with talking to women. But you...You seem to affect me more than most. It's all terribly confusing. And as rehearsed as it sounds, I really _am_ sorry for any pain I caused you. It was never what I meant."

Adelinde smiled a bit. This was exactly what she wanted. He was asking her for her forgiveness...at this moment, whether she was aware of it or not, she had the power to break him or raise him.

"I may not forgive you completely, my King, not immediately, but I will forgive you for the pity." She looked at him fiercely. "But know this, King Edmund – I _will not _be pitied, no matter how pitiable my situation is. There are those who have it far worse, who deserve to be pitied. But you will not find that in me."

"My Lady," King Edmund said, stepping forward and touching her arm, "I have to make this up to you. I would be honoured to escort you to next weekend's Harvest Ball."

Adelinde smiled sweetly. "It would be my pleasure, King Edmund. Shall you meet me at my room on the night?"

"Aye, my Lady. I-"

"King Edmund, how many times do I have to say it, please just call me Adelinde," she said, "I've said it before – I am no lady."

"Well, since I am to escort you to the Ball, I insist you call me Edmund." He grinned at her, his eyes shinning.

"Aye, K- Edmund," she said, smiling at him. The smile was, for once, sincere. Then she turned away from Edmund and back toward the castle.

"Oh! And one last thing, Adelinde!" he said, catching her arm. "My siblings have also expressed a wish for you to address them by their first names. They all agree with me – it's quite confusing with two kings and two queens."

"I shall try to remember, Edmund," she said, smiling sweetly. He smiled back.

"Then you may go," he said, releasing her arm.

As she walked away, Adelinde grinned to herself. Edmund really was a sweet boy…it was almost…a pity.

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**So I worked on this forever. It took the the longest of the chapters so far. **=P


	6. Chapter 5

**Yay! I'm finally developing a PLOT! (Crowd: *gasps* Really!?) Yes, really!**

**Disclaimer: I own only my OCs and the plot. All else belongs to C.S. Lewis.**

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Chapter Five

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"Adelinde?" asked Lucy, leaning over the dinner table that night, "Is it true, what the castle ladies are saying?"

"That depends," she said, picking at her food, "What piece of gossip are you referring to?"

Lucy grinned happily. "I believe you know which one I am speaking of, Ada," she said, "That you are wooing my dear brothers. In fact," she added, "I heard from Edmund himself that he is accompanying you to the Harvest Ball!"

"Aye, he is, Queen Lucy," Adelinde said with caged satisfaction in her voice.

"Ada, I believe that Ed also spoke to you about calling all of us by our names!" Lucy mock frowned.

"I apologize, Que- Lucy…" she smiled a bit. "That is going to take a bit of getting used to."

"Have you decided what you're going to wear to the Ball, then, Adelinde?" asked Susan, leaning over Edmund to join the conversation.

"Um…No, I suppose I haven't. In fact, I didn't even know it was occurring until Edmund told me."

"Oh, we _must_ get you a proper gown!" cried the older Queen. "One tailored for you, not a cast-off from me or Lu!"

Adelinde beamed. "Thank you, Susan," she said, as Susan grinned at the use of her proper name. "And you too, Lucy! The generosity that you both have shown toward me is…overwhelming to say the least!"

"Your welcome, Ada!" said Lucy.

"Aye, welcome, Ada," said Susan, picking up on the nickname. "But our Ladies have insisted that we get you your own Ladies-in-waiting. It seems that it's not 'proper' for the Queens to be helping a 'commoner' dress for the day."

"We're quite sorry about it!" said Lucy, as though afraid Adelinde would be angry, "We did enjoy it a great deal! It's just we're a bit new at all this – we're still having difficulties getting the other nobles to accept us as fellow royalty – so we wouldn't want to do anything that anyone would find improper or scandalous."

"Lucy, I know little of the ways of nobility and royals, but I do know that it is nigh impossible to do something and _not_ offend someone, in politics. You could be offending someone right now, and not even know it!" Adelinde smiled, Lucy laughed, and Susan seemed to not know if she was joking or not, so she contented herself with a small grin.

The dinner was ending, now, and Adelinde pushed her chair away from the table, as Lucy said, "Adelinde, tomorrow, two castle maids will assist you in dressing. After breakfast we can take you to the tailor and have your measurements taken!"

Adelinde agreed and they all went their separate ways – Susan and Lucy to the royal quarters, and Adelinde to the court's wing. (For there were several other members of the royal court that resided in the castle.)

As Adelinde approached the entrance of her wing of the castle, she heard hurried footsteps behind her, and a familiar voice cry, "Ada! Ada, wait a moment!"

She turned to see Edmund running toward her. "Hello Edmund!" she said quietly, "Aren't you supposed to be off to bed?"

"By the Mane, Ada!" laughed Edmund, "You sound like my mother!"

"Well, I am sure you didn't catch up with me to compare me to your mother," she said, grinning with him. "What can I help you with?"

"I-I just…um…wanted to say goodnight to you," Edmund said nervously, "I didn't get the chance to even speak to you during dinner – my sisters were hogging you!"

"Well, goodnight then, Edmund," said Adelinde.

"G-goodnight, Ada…" said Edmund. Then he shocked himself, Adelinde, and all the courtiers that remained in the hall. He bent down, gave her a quick hug, and kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said before hurrying off toward the other side of the hall.

Adelinde grinned to herself before heading off to her room.

-------xOx-------

The next morning, Adelinde was woken, not by the queens bursting into her room, but by a timid knock on her door.

"Ma'am?" asked a small voice, and a young dryad came into her room. She looked to be about 13 or 14, but, since Adelinde knew trees – and the dryads with them – grew far slower than humans, she knew she was probably at least three years older than her.

Adelinde smiled sweetly, trying to put the girls at ease. They seemed…frightened. "What is your name, girl?" she asked, getting up, as the girl entered and shut the door behind her.

"Aari, Ma'am," said the dryad, still looking at the floor.

"Why are you so frightened, Aari?" she said, moving toward the girl.

"I-I am not frightened, Ma'am," said Aari, not moving from her spot by the door. "I am merely nervous…" Aari reddened as if she'd said something she wasn't supposed do say.

"Why are you nervous?"

"B-because I've never been more than a kitchen girl, all my life…and now, here I am…attending to the woman that King Edmund is courting…"

Adelinde's eyes went wide. Edmund was courting her? Was this true, or was it just one of those rumors that she knew tended to circulate among the servants.

She brushed off the thought, suddenly becoming stern. "Well, enough of this gossip. Am I to understand you are to help me dress?"

"Y-yes, Ma'am," Aari said timidly before hurrying over to the closet. She rummaged for a moment, before pulling out a simple purple gown. "Does this suit you, my Lady?" she asked, holding it up.

Adelinde inspected it closely. "It is a very beautiful dress," she said slowly, "But it is so plain to be worn alone!" She too stepped forward and spotted something. "There! Girl! That blue overdress!"

"Y-you have magnificent taste, my Lady," said Aari, removing the dress from its hanger. Adelinde took the purple dress from the girl and stepped behind the partition. As she slid into the dress and pulled it into place, she heard another knock on the door.

Thinking that it was probably Susan or Lucy, she called out, "Come in!" as she came out into the open of the room. The door opened, but standing there was neither the Gentle nor Valiant Queens, but Edmund.

Adelinde gave a start and yelped as Edmund went red. As both were well aware of, she had yet to button the dress.

"I-I apologize, Ada," Edmund said, looking at the floor and shielding his eyes, "If I'd known you weren't ready yet, I would not have entered."

"It is quite alright, Edmund," said Adelinde, as Aari buttoned the back of the dress. As soon as the dryad had finished with the top button, Adelinde pulled the overdress from the girl's arm and pulled it on. Edmund kept his eyes on the floor. As she began to lace up the front of the dress, she said, "Edmund, you can look now."

He took his hand away from his face, his cheeks still a bit pink. "I-I'm sorry, Ada," he repeated, his eyes still on the floor, as Aari took over lacing her dress.

"Edmund, stop apologizing!" she laughed, stepping toward the vanity mirror. She picked up a brush, pulled the ribbon off the end of her hair, and began running the brush through the now curly strands. As soon as there were no more tangles she could find, she placed the brush down and turned to look at Edmund. "Well? How do I look?" she asked, well aware of how uncomfortable she was making him by asking him this.

He smiled kindly, the last of the red fading from his face, as he took a step toward her and said, "You look beautiful, as always, my Lady."

Adelinde smiled back. Then she turned back to the dryad. "You may leave, Aari," she said, not unkindly. The girl hurried from the room, leaving Adelinde and Edmund alone.

"Edmund," said Adelinde, taking a step toward him. But her next words were cut off by Edmund.

"You know, most people just call me Ed," he said, moving closer. They were now nearly touching.

"Ed, then…" she said, putting one hand on his chest. "You know, Ed, Aari told me something very interesting…"

"And what would that be?" he asked, taking hold of her wrist.

"She said that you intend to court me," Adelinde said, looking up at him from under her eyelashes, trying to look innocent. "Is this true?"

"It may be," Edmund said, one corner of his mouth curving upward. "Why? If I asked you, would you accept?"

"I may," she said, "But then again, I mayn't."

Edmund laughed, breaking the seriousness of the moment. "Well, that makes me so confident!" he said.

Adelinde laughed loudly, taking a step away from Edmund, and breaking the tension in the room that neither of them had realized was there. "Ed, we should go down…people will start to wonder."

"Aye," said Edmund slowly, taking back his hand, and running it through his hair. Then he held his arm out. "May I have the honour of escorting you, my Lady?" he asked.

She smiled and took the arm he offered her. "That you may, my Lord, that you may."

-------xOx-------

**Ok, so I probably should have gone on…but over four pages is enough. Reviews would be nice!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I only own Adelinde, Aari, and a few other characters yet to appear. All else does not belong to me. **

-------xOx-------

Chapter Six

-------xOx-------

The next few days passed in a lovely haze for Adelinde. Although she had no real duties in the castle, Susan set her the task of supervising the setup for the Harvest Ball, which Adelinde found to be amazingly fun. She directed the fauns in where to hang the banners, and selected the place settings and table cloths. She spoke with the nobles of the court and decided on musicians.

In fact, Adelinde was so wrapped up in planning that she hardly ever had a chance to see Edmund except during meals, and then was _certainly_ not the time to be talking about what she wanted to speak to him about.

Oh, they spoke, and spoke quite frequently, but never about anything important. They talked about art, or books, or music, but never anything that Adelinde _wanted_ to speak to him about. He was driving her mad with the silence on the subject.

_Courtship_. The very word brought a shiver over her, especially when the thought about _Edmund_ courting her. The prospect of being officially courted by a king of Narnia was an exciting and overwhelming idea to her, but she was sure she could handle it.

Never, in all her years, even when she had been a young, foolish girl, that had dreamed about knights in shinning armor, and valiant battles, and epic love stories, she had never, _never_ dreamed that she might one day be _in_ one.

All these thoughts battled in her head as she worked her way through the week.

But by the time the Harvest Ball arrived, one thought dominated her attention – _tonight_ would be the night that Edmund asked to court her, _officially_.

For this special occasion, Aari was joined by another dryad maid to help dress up Adelinde. She was a sturdy, but thin girl that appeared about Adelinde's own age. Her name was Ilina, and she was the dryad of a maple tree. She seemed nice enough, but Adelinde still didn't speak openly when either dryad was within earshot.

"Ma'am, I do believe, you're as ready as we can make you!" said Ilina, who was far less shy than Aari about telling what she thought.

Adelinde studied herself in the mirror for a long while, before finally agreeing. "Aye, I am ready," she said, attempting to smooth nonexistent wrinkles in her wine red gown. She fiddled with the end of her braid as she stepped out of her bedroom door to see Edmund standing there, looking very handsome in an intricately embroidered red tunic, nearly as dark as her dress.

"Are you ready, Ada?" he asked, holding out his arm to her.

"Yes, Edmund, I'm ready. Let's go down now," she said, taking the arm. She noticed that he did not seem as excited as he normally did to speak to her, or to see her. There was no smile on his lips, and he seemed…flat.

They walked down to the Great Hall in silence, Edmund never looking at her. As they entered the elaborately decorated room, Peter came over and clapped Edmund on the back.

"I'm glad your finally here, Ed!" He said, steering the couple toward the dance floor, "Susan insisted that we not start the Ball officially until you arrived!"

"Oh?" said Edmund, quirking an eyebrow at Peter, "And since when are you eager for a ball to start?"

Peter simply rolled his eyes and shoved Edmund toward the dance floor and said, "Since now! Now get out there! We need to start the dancing!"

"Come on, Ada," Edmund said, leading her out onto the floor. She could see out of the corner of her eye Peter, leading a small, slender black-haired girl onto the floor. Lucy was tugging at the faun Tumnus's hand, trying to pull him onto the dance floor, and Susan was taking the hand of what appeared to be one of about twelve humans in the whole room. He was tall and pale, most likely from Archenland, and she could see his blue eyes even from across the hall.

Adelinde could feel the blood drain from her face. She wasn't ready...she'd not been here a month! That two-faced man had promised her at least a month! But nevertheless, the man was here, and he would not be happy when he heard that not only had neither of the Narnia Kings offered courtship, but the one she was closest to was pulling away!

After a few measures of the dance, several more creatures in pairs, as well as several dryads, joined the dancing. Edmund was looking at her with worry in his eyes.

"Adelinde?" he asked, pulling her closer than the rules of propriety dictated, "Is something wrong?"

She shook the thoughts out of her head and nodded, smiling a little bit. "Of course, Edmund!" she said with an attempt at enthusiasm, "I-I'm just not used to having so many people around me!"

He smiled for the first time that night. "Don't worry, love," he said with a small laugh, you'll get used to it!"

Adelinde grinned as Edmund reddened at what he had just let slip. But her smile faded as the blush crept back out of Ed's cheeks and he slipped back into the shell that she'd just hoped she'd brought him out of.

-------xOx-------

_I should have known... _Adelinde thought as she watched from the sidelines of the dance floor. Edmund was dancing, but, obviously, not with her. He was now twirling some delighted looking black-haired girl around, grinning and laughing as he had not with her. Closer inspection told her that it was the same girl that Peter had danced with in the opening dance.

She sighed resolutely, standing up from the bench she had planted herself on. Evidently, Edmund would not miss her if she left the room, and it didn't seem that anyone else would, either. She wove her way through the swaying and spinning couples and friends to the far side of the room, where the doors stood open to a terrace, from which the chill November air blew into the hall.

She stepped out, shivering a bit as the cold air hit her bare arms and shoulders. She leaned forward as she looked out to the West, where the sun was just visible above the horizon. The lights and sounds of the party drifted out to her, but they seemed very far away.

"It's a beautiful sight, isn't it?" said Peter, coming up beside her on the rail.

"Aye, it is..." she said, still half lost in her thoughts.

"He doesn't mean it, you know?" said Peter, putting a hand over hers. "He doesn't mean to hurt you."

Adelinde shot him a hard look. "How do you know?"

"He's my brother; I just know," said Peter, looking at her just as seriously.

"He had real feelings for me..." she said without thinking. Her face went red as she realized she'd said it aloud.

"Did he?" asked Peter. Somehow, they had ended up switching sides.

"He did!" said Adelinde vehemently, "At least...I thought he did..."

"If he did, would we be having this conversation, my Lady, while he dances with another woman?" Peter questioned. He squeezed her hand gently. "Just think about that," he said before turning and going back inside.

Adelinde stood there in silence for a long while, letting the sunset half blind her.

"He is getting impatient, you know," said a harsh voice behind her. "He may not give you much longer."

"Well he will just have to wait!" snapped Adelinde, turning sharply to face the blond man. "Things are not going as smoothly as planned!"

"He will not give you much longer," the man repeated.

"So I hear!" Adelinde said impatiently. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I just thought I should give you fair warning, my sister," said Brae, smirking at her. "If you cannot secure a proposal by the new year, you may want to go into hiding, because he will not let you get away."

"I am working on it, brother!" she said, "Now, you must leave, before they start to suspect something."

"Always the suspicious one, my dear Adelinde," he said turning away. "You know, you may have the face of an angel, but you have the tongue of a serpent."

-------xOx-----

**Hm...who is this mysterious man? Well, I'm honestly not much more sure than you are!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I only own Adelinde and a few other characters.**

-------xOx-------

Chapter Seven

-------xOx-------

Adelinde turned back to face the party, her face red from the biting wind. She could see Peter prying himself away from a very pretty brunette girl, saying, "I am sorry, my Lady, but it would not be proper to spend the whole of the evening dancing with you."

She smiled, obviously no longer reluctant to let him go, and disappeared onto the floor in attempt to find some kind faun or handsome lord, or, perhaps...a black-haired King.

Adelinde shook the thoughts away as Peter approached her, standing in the doorway. He gave a sweeping bow and said in a tone that hid laughter, "My Lady, I would be honoured if you would accept a dance!"

Adelinde grinned at Peter's joking tone, and took the hand he held out to her. "The honour would be all mine, Your Majesty," she said, sweeping back into the hall with Peter at her side. They stepped onto the floor and Adelinde could see that the brunette girl was, in fact, dancing with Edmund. She swallowed the lump of jealousy in her throat as the turned to Peter.

As the musicians began to play, Adelinde could feel something. It wasn't the typical pit-of-your-stomach/gut feeling, but it was definitely there. Peter's hands would tighten on hers at different moments, and he would get a..._look_ on his face. Adelinde would turn and she would see Edmund dancing with the brunette girl, _very_ close to them, as if he would try to speak to her. But her never did.

When the song ended, Peter was a moment in releasing Adelinde's hands. When he did, he bent down and whispered in her ear, "_Meet me in ten minutes in the Eastern corridor. I'll be waiting._"

And then he was gone. Gone to dance with another girl, or gone to get drink, or gone to...do what? Had he been serious? Should she meet him? What if Edmund found out?

_No! He doesn't care! _And with that, she decided she would meet Peter.

-------xOx-------

"Peter?" she asked quietly, opening the door at the end of the hall. He was there, just like he said he would be. His tunic was slightly wrinkled and his hair was mussed. She could tell with just one glance that he was drunk.

Drunk or not, he grinned at the sight of her. He strode up to her and pulled her close to him. "I wasn't sure you'd come," he murmured into her hair. She hugged him back, slightly unsure of what she should be doing.

"Why did you ask me here, Peter?" she asked, pulling away from him. She looked up into his eyes, which looked gray in the dim torchlight.

"I-I just wanted to see you...away from all the activity," he said, touching her cheek. His eyes looked so tender that she wasn't so sure about him being drunk anymore.

Although she didn't want them to, thoughts of Brae's words floated into her head...he would approve of this. She stood there for what seemed like hours, staring at Peter, as he did at her. Her eyes traced every inch of his face.

Finally, she moved. She reached up and placed her hand on Peter's, holding it to her cheek. The place where he was touching her seemed oddly hot, as if his hand were a harsh branding iron instead of the large, strong hand of Peter Pevensie.

With slow movements, he came closer, leaning down to her. Mirroring his movements, she leaned up. He moved his free hand to the small of her back, bowing her body against his. They stood like that for what seemed an infinite amount of time, before Adelinde placed her free hand on the back of Peter's neck, and pulled him the rest of the way down.

Their lips met with a touch that, although feather light, sent Adelinde's head spinning. They came apart for a moment, before Peter came back down on her mouth with redoubled force. The embrace was wonderful, but short lived.

A sound echoed off the stone walls of the corridor as another door along the hallway was pushed open, and out stepped none other than Edmund Pevensie, pulling on the hand of the brunette girl from earlier, who was giggling uncontrollably.

When they saw they were not alone in the hall, the couple stopped. The girl, who was obviously _very_ drunk, giggled harder and said something about, "Not wanting to interrupt."

Edmund's face went white with shock, then red from embarrassment. "A-Adelinde?" he choked out, as the couple pulled apart, "P-P-Peter?"

Peter was the first in the room to recover his wits. "What can I help you with, Ed?" he asked, cool as ever.

"Y-you could tell me why- how-" he seemed incapable of completing a sentence, until he spat out, "_What_ in all of Narnia is possessing you, Pete!?"

"Why should something be possessing me, brother?" Peter asked. Peter assessed the look of white shock on his younger brother's face. "Edmund, could I speak to you alone for a moment?"

"O-oh, alright," he said. Then he looked uncertainly at the two women in the room.

"Adelinde, could you escort Lady...?"

"Marina, Your Highness," said the woman, curtsying low, and showing a good deal of cleavage in the process.

"Ah, of course," said Peter, tactfully looking away from the woman's exposed flesh, "Please escort Lady Marina back to her chambers, if you will?"

"Of course, Peter!" Adelinde said, receiving a very dirty look from Lady Marina for her use of the High King's first name.

As Adelinde stepped away from him, he took her hand and pulled back for a quick moment. He kissed her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "_Later_."

-------xOx-------

While Adelinde lead the giggling Lady though the labyrinth of corridors in Cair Paravel, her mind dwelled on Peter. What was he speaking to Edmund about? She decided she would ask him later.

It was then, just passing the library, that she realized that Lady Marina was _speaking_ to her.

"Qu-quite sorry about that, dearie!" she giggled, hiccupping slightly, "I-I didn't mean to interrupt you and K-King Peter! But- Well, King Edmund is such a gentleman!" She swayed dangerously as she walked, making Adelinde worry if she would tip. A conk on that stone floor would _not _improve the Lady's judgment. "H-he thought I was drunk – drunk! Can you believe it? – so he _insisted_ that he escort me back to my chambers! It was so thoughtful!"

She paused for breath for a moment and looked at Adelinde, as if expecting a response. Adelinde only nodded, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"By the gods, girl! Are you mute?" exclaimed Marina, throwing her hands skyward.

"No, I am not," said Adelinde, "I, unlike you, have not had one drop of wine tonight, and therefore, my jaw is still able to close."

The next five minutes of their journey was silent.

"So, Ma'am," said Marina, suddenly formal, despite the slight slur in her voice, "How is it that you came to call His Majesty the High King, by his first name?"

"Because he asked me to," said Adelinde shortly, "Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy all asked me to call them by their names, as they find it confusing to be referred to as 'Your Majesty'. They all are, after all, 'Majesties'."

"But why did _any_ of Their Majesties give _you_ the great honour of allowing informalities? You're just a peasan- Ah!" The last exclamation was because Adelinde had turned on her heel and planted herself in front of Lady Marina.

"Listen close, _my Lady_," she said, putting as much venom into the last two words as possible, "I may be 'just a peasant', but I will _not_ stand to be insulted merely because I am of lower rank than you!"

"I-I apologize, Adelinde!" said Lady Marina quickly, "I-I did not mean to offend you-"

"It does not matter!" said Adelinde, taking another step toward the Lady, "You are _drunk_! You will not remember a moment of this conversation in the morning. When daylight arrives, you will forget you ever spoke to me and go back to your pathetic superiority complex. You will go home, where you order your servants around without a second though!"

"N-No! I won't! I-I've changed!" sobbed the drunk woman.

"People do not change," said Adelinde with finality as she walked away. As her own words replayed in her head, she felt a stab. She wasn't quite sure of what the feeling was, but she though it felt like loathing mixed with despair. If she would have been able to find a word to describe her feeling, she would have discovered, deep within her, that it was guilt.

-------xOx-------

**I feel like I should make this chapter longer, but I don't know what to do. Grr... Anyway, sorry this took so long. I was having major problems with this. **

**Review!**


	9. Chapter 8

**AN: I know where I'm going with this! I swear, I really do! But it's getting there that's the problem. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs. **

-------xOx-------

Chapter Eight

-------xOx-------

"No, girl! The orange one!" snapped Adelinde as she sat at the vanity, brushing her hair out. Aari, who was holding a blue dress with a full skirt, jumped and skittered back to the closet, where she hung up the blue dress and exchanged it for the one that Adelinde had requested.

"This one, Ma'am?" she said, holding up the dress.

"Yes, that one," said Adelinde shortly. She took the dress and stepped behind the partition to change. Once she had, she stepped out and looked at herself in the mirror. Her face looked a bit pale, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but otherwise, she looked just like she always did. Her hair was still the same, her eyes, her face, all of it. But she didn't _feel_ the same. It was as if something within her had shifted last night – something that refused to shift back. It didn't feel _right_.

"Ma'am?" said Aari, approaching cautiously (for she had learned that, in the morning, Adelinde was something to behold), "King Edmund is at the door and he is asking to speak with you."

"Let him in, Aari. I'm as ready as I'll ever be," said Adelinde, and she turned to face the door, as the young nymph scurried back and opened it. Edmund stood there in the doorway, looking almost as if he'd just rolled out of bed. He had on a clean tunic, and he wore his crown, but other than that, it was obvious he hadn't made much effort to wake up.

"G'morning, Ada," he said dryly.

"Good morning, King Edmund," she replied, returning to the formality. He frowned slightly at that. Aari had, in the few seconds that they'd been speaking, managed to make herself disappear.

"Adeline," Edmund said, stepping into the room and shutting the door, "I-I just wanted to tell you that…I'm very sorry about how rude I was last night. I don't know why I did it, but I just…I'm sorry."

Adelinde smiled warmly at him. _But not too warm…_ she reminded herself. "You needn't apologise, King Edmund. You did nothing wrong."

Edmund frowned at her evasion of the topic. "Please, Ada!" he said, taking a step toward her, "Even if you think I don't need to apologise, just…tell me if you forgive me or not. For my sake."

She smiled at him again. "If it is so important to you…I forgive you. Is there anything else you needed from me, King Edmund?"

He looked a little embarrassed. "W-well…" he started, but he looked down, his ears reddening, "But…it's nothing. Never mind, Ada."

"All right then," she said. He seemed surprised that she dropped the subject so easily. She moved toward him and said, sweetly as ever, "Now, Edmund, could you move? You're blocking the door, and I really would like to go down to breakfast."

Edmund grinned at her. "Gladly, my Lady. May I escort you down?"

"Aye, you may, Your Majesty," Adelinde said, accepting the arm that Edmund held out to her. They passed Aari their way down to the dining hall. Adelinde said to herself that she must remember to ask that girl where she'd gone.

-------xOx-------

After breakfast, Adelinde hesitated in the dining hall. The party was over, all of the kings and queens were going to be very busy, and it was far too cold to go outside. She could go to the library, but Brae was very likely to be waiting there for her. She hadn't seen him after the confrontation the previous night, but he had very likely seen her, and would speak to her about what had transpired in the hall with the kings.

She left the dining hall through the western corridor, with no particular destination in mind. She saw many people she knew – Lady Marina, from the night before, looking absolutely terrified as she passed Adelinde; one of the band members – a faun around her own age who grinned kindly at her as she passed; as well as several others that she recognised by their faces, but whose names she couldn't recall.

"Lady Adelinde?" Asked a female voice.

Adelinde turned to see a small, slim girl a little younger than her with black hair and green eyes. She was very white, and it seemed as if she had never set foot outdoors in her life.

"Yes?" Adelinde asked mildly, "Do I know you?"

"I do not believe so," said the girl, "I am Lady Tiva, of Archenland. I am the daughter of one of the ambassadors."

"Well then, what can I assist you with, Lady Tiva?"

The girl looked shocked at the direct nature of Adelinde's sentence, but said, "I only wanted to know if you would like to sit with a few of the other ladies and I. We are having a small gathering in one of the sitting rooms."

Adelinde was going to refuse, but then saw the girl's hopeful look. _They are interested in me! Realised_ Adeline, _They're only interested in gossip about the kings!_

She changed her mind only half a second before the words came out of her mouth. "Why, I would be honoured to join you, my Lady," said Adelinde, smiling kindly. Tiva grinned hesitantly back at her, before beckoning her to follow.

They continued down the passage, took a left at an intersection, and climbed a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs, Tiva led her down a passageway and opened a wooden door on the left.

As soon as the door was opened, a rush of scents and sounds burst out, and it took all the control and training that Adelinde had to keep from stumbling back. In the room was a group of eleven ladies. Some had the relaxed clothing and light hair of Archenland, while others wore the flamboyant dresses and bore the dark skin and hair of Calormene, while others yet appeared as islanders, and Adelinde could swear she even saw a Telmarine in there. All were chatting quietly, and lightly fanning themselves.

There were no artificial lights in the room, for the curtains were drawn wide, and the window looked out Southeast.

As soon as Tiva opened the door, every lady looked toward the door, and stopped what they were doing when they saw Adelinde. There was a murmur as all the ladies cooed their respective 'hello's and 'good day's. Adelinde gave a small smile, and nodded. Tiva ushered her in and pulled up an armchair for her. She offered tea, which Adelinde politely refused, and then took her own seat next to a woman in her late twenties that appeared to be from one of the islands.

Everything was quiet for a moment more. One could have said it was silent, except that there were still noises – the rustle of a skirt as its owner shifted in her seat; the clink of a teacup as it was set in its saucer; the slow deep sigh of a lady feeling especially awkward.

Then – _thank the Lion!_ - Tiva spoke to the woman next to Adelinde, and asked her, "So, Meya, how is your husband fairing?"

"Oh, no better, no worse. The illness has not yet taken him, but we all know it soon will – he is getting on in his years," replied the girl, who was very blatantly Calormene. What shocked Adelinde slightly was that she could not have been more than 16 or 17. This girl who looked younger than her was already married, and, if she knew anything about Calormene, probably had been since he was 14, was talking about how her old husband was dying. It was more than a little frightening.

But Tiva's question broke the tension in the room. The rest of the ladies soon started chatting as Meya and Tiva continued their conversation. Adelinde found herself conversing with a young woman named Lei. She was from the island Galma, which lay almost directly east of Cair Paravel. She looked vaguely Calormene, as most islanders did. She had dark brown hair, pulled up into a knot at the back of her head and skin that was dark enough to be Calormene, but still light enough to look like a tan. What gave her away as an islander and not a Tarkeena was her green eyes.

They talked for at least thirty minutes about absolutely nothing important. The women spoke of the weather, and the ball the previous night, and linens and patterns. It wasn't until nearly an hour after Adelinde's arrival that one of the Tarkeenas – Adelinde briefly recalled her name as beginning with a 'C', but couldn't remember what it was – asked, "So, love, how did it feel to be fawned over by both the kings?"

Adelinde blushed with embarrassment and more than a little bit of fury.

"That depends what you mean by 'fawned over', my Lady," she said, coldly, "If you mean fought over, then it feels horrid. If you mean ignored by my escort, it feels dreadful. If you mean comforted by the High King, however..." she trailed off with a dreamy look on her face.

There was an outburst of giggling, and the speed of the fanning increased.

"And why do you mean by 'comforted', dearie?" Asked another lady, who Adelinde could not see.

She smiled a little at the question. "I see all of your heads go to the worst places at my words. But no matter, because I mean nothing more than a comforting touch, and a kind word."

"And a not-so-innocent kiss in a corridor?" asked Meya. As the giggling renewed, Adelinde flushed an even darker shade of red.

She attempted to hide her blushing cheeks as she said, "That was nothing! By the Lion, how does word travel so fast in this castle? The only people who saw that were Edmund" she ignored the ladies gasping at her use of the first name of the King "and...." Then it hit her.

"_Marina!_" she hissed. The lady had it in for her – she was convinced.

"Was it good?" asked a still giggling girl about her own age.

"It probably would have been better if he wasn't drunk," said Adelinde without thinking. The giggling started again.

"And you say His Majesty King Edmund _walked in on you_?" asked a woman in her mid-twenties in-between her own quiet giggles.

Adelinde sighed. She was hoping to avoid this. "Yes, he did..."

"But wasn't he upset? I mean, he _was_ your escort, after all!" asked the same woman.

"I don't know, and, quite frankly, I don't care," said Adelinde truthfully. Several women looked shocked, and even appalled.

"B-but, Lady Adelinde!" cried Lady Tiva, shocked beyond belief. "How can you say that? Can you not see how His Majesty cares for you?"

Adelinde threw her a sharp look. "And am I to understand that _you_ do?" she said shortly.

Tiva looked at her hands. "I know that I do not know you nor His Majesty very well, but I am not blind. I can see how he cares for you. I danced with him last night, and he never spoke of anything but you." She spoke quietly, but with conviction.

Adelinde was internally delighted, but she showed no external sign of it. She was about to reply, but a castle maid opened the door quietly and poked her head in.

"I apologise for the interruption, Good Ladies," she said, "But it's time for lunch."

Adelinde rose to her feet, delighted for the interruption. "Ladies," she said, heading for the door, "I am sorry to leave you, but I do not wish to miss the noontime meal. I shall take my leave now."

As she passed Meya on her way to the door, the Lady whispered in her ear, "You aren't out of the woods yet, love. In fact, it's only just beginning."

Adelinde swallowed hard when she got out the door. Things were going both more smoothly and quicker than anyone had planned for. She had to wonder if they would be ready in time, if she managed to complete her mission. But as she walked to the dining hall, the thought was driven from her mind as she reintegrated into the flow of the castle life. It seemed the world of proper ladies, despite all her training, was an entirely different world than the one with which she was accustomed.

-------xOx-------

**All right, now that I'm moving again, the chapters shouldn't take me this long anymore. Review, please! **

**~Xandra J.**


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